Suhail Rather
Bandipora, May 25 (KNS): In a major crackdown against narco-terrorism and drug abuse in Jammu & Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday led a massive anti-drug Padyatra in Bandipora, declaring that the administration will continue its relentless action until every drug smuggler and narco-terror network is wiped out from the Union Territory.
Addressing a huge gathering at SK Stadium, Bandipora, under the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir Nasha Mukt Abhiyan, the Lieutenant Governor said Jammu & Kashmir stands united and fully committed to making society drug-free.
“Forty-five days ago, I pledged not only to dismantle the ecosystem of smugglers and narco-terrorists, but also to launch a movement that restores dignity to families devastated by addiction,” Sinha said.
He stated that security agencies have launched an unprecedented drive against drug peddlers, traffickers and their hidden networks, asserting that no one involved in poisoning society would be spared.
“The action against narco-terrorists and drug smugglers will continue. It will not stop until every drug smuggler is eliminated from the sacred soil of Jammu & Kashmir,” he said.
Highlighting the administration’s intensified campaign, the Lieutenant Governor revealed that nearly 800 FIRs have been registered in the past 45 days while around 950 people involved in drug-related activities have been arrested. He further said nearly 850 cases were booked under the PIT-NDPS Act.
“Our agencies are firmly acting against drug peddlers. Illegal properties are being attached while passports and driving licences are also being confiscated,” he added.
Sinha said several drug supply chains that remained hidden for years are now being traced and dismantled, adding that drug cartels which thrived for decades are being systematically wiped out.
The Lieutenant Governor also emphasised rehabilitation and counselling for youth trapped in addiction, saying the administration would soon introduce a comprehensive rehabilitation policy aimed at reintegrating affected youth into mainstream society through employment, education and skill development opportunities.
“Our aim is that not a single young person is left behind. The success of a drug-free Jammu & Kashmir will not only be measured by arrests, but by the number of lives rebuilt and families restored,” he said.
Calling the anti-drug campaign a people’s movement, Sinha urged families, teachers, religious leaders and civil society members to participate in the fight against drug abuse and narco-terrorism actively.
“When people stand united, no narco-terror network can survive. Together, we must bury narco-terror once and for all,” he asserted.
On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated the Waqar Knowledge Centre – Engaging Youth Against Drug Abuse in Bandipora under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
The centre has been established to support rehabilitation, engagement and reintegration of recovering addiction cases by providing constructive opportunities for youth. Facilities at the centre include a sports corner, badminton court, reading library and an information desk offering guidance on education, employment, government schemes and skill development.
The administration has planned to establish similar Waqar Knowledge Centres in every block of Bandipora district to strengthen community resilience against addiction.
Hundreds of students, women, NGOs, civil society members and residents participated in the Padyatra led by the Lieutenant Governor, reflecting growing public support for the anti-drug movement in Jammu & Kashmir. (KNS)